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Sierra Leone has reinforced its dedication to promoting media freedom, access to public interest data, and the fight against misinformation at the Regional Conference on Information Integrity in West Africa and the Sahel, held from September 3 to 5, 2025, in Praia, Cabo Verde.
The delegation, led by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE), joined over 20 regional delegations including government ministers, regulators, civil society actors, and representatives from digital platforms.
Discussions focused on countering disinformation, hate speech, and the manipulation of public information across the region.
During the plenary session on “Safeguarding Information Integrity During Conflict, Crisis, and Elections,” Sierra Leone’s representative, Mr. Emmanuel Abubakar Benoni Turay, highlighted the country’s progress in media reforms, the development of a government fact-checking unit, and alignment with the regional Model Policy for Information Integrity. “Access to credible information is a cornerstone of democracy and peace. Sierra Leone is proud to contribute to regional efforts that uphold transparency, accountability, and human rights in the digital age,” Mr. Turay stated.
The conference featured panels on emerging technologies, electoral integrity, media literacy, and regulatory innovation. Sierra Leone actively participated in validating the Praia Action Plan, which sets priority actions for regional cooperation, capacity building, and sustainable funding of information integrity initiatives.
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education expressed gratitude to the Government of Cabo Verde, UNESCO, ECOWAS, and all partners for convening the dialogue.
Sierra Leone reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the conference’s outcomes and strengthening multi-stakeholder engagement to foster a resilient and inclusive information ecosystem.
